As of 6/23/14, the seasonal falcon closure is lifted early due to an inactive nest site.

There is a seasonal closure from January to July for Mt. Minsi on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. This is subject to being lifted early due to failure to nest or early fledging.

Areas on State Game Lands may face full hunting season closure starting in 2015 - please read and respond MORE INFO >>>

Larry S writes: The PA Game Commission is considering restricting access to state game lands during hunting seasons, potentially shuttering access to many of our climbing areas during the best times of the year. See the thread here mountainproject.com/v/haycock-... .

This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund,
and Mountain Project.You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.

Description

Mount Minsi and Mount Tammany (New Jersey) are the high points along a geologic formation called Kittatinny Ridge or the Kittatinny Mountains.

Minsi overlooks the Delaware Water Gap from the Pennsylvania side. The climbing is quite similar to that on Mount Tamany on the New Jersey side. Over 100 traditional routes exist here ranging from 5.0 to 5.12d, many with multiple pitches. Helmets are MANDATORY at the Gap!

The Metaquartzite east-facing cliffs of Mtount Minsi, ranging from 120 to 220 feet tall, provide the best multi-pitch climbing in PA. It's similar to the Gunks in some ways, but climbed much less, dirtier, and with more potential for loose rocks. Don't even approach the cliff base without a helmet.

Choose your route carefully. The "classics" are clean and solid because they are climbed. Some routes don't get much traffic and may be loose and dirty.

The guidebook Climbing Guide to the Delaware Water Gap by Michael Steele is long out of print, but available used at amazon.com and elsewhere.

Rock Climbing New Jersey (the FalconGuide) also has good route information.

There are no fees to climb here. There are intermittent closures in some cliff areas in the spring and early summer due to peregrine falcon nesting. Chck nps.gov for closures.

Getting There

To climb the PA side of the gap, you want to be on I-80 (east or west) and take the exit for the town of Delaware Water Gap. From the townsite, stay on the west side of the river (Pennsylvania) and drive south on 611. Park at the roadside pullout on the right just past the "Point of Gap Overlook." There are two of these right-hand-side pullouts. Park at the second pullout on the right. There should be a clearly visible cave. It's called Cold Air Cave. Follow the blue trail markers from the right side of Cold Air Cave uphill in the trees along the right side of the scree slope. The blue trail ends at the cliff in an area called "The Practice Face."

Just right of Chieftan, up typical dirty first pitch to belay at tree 20ft below ominous roof. Up to the roof, lean out place great gear, take many deep breaths and go for ride. Clear the lip and immidiatly move right and up to good stance. Plug in the biggest piece you got and now to really go for a voyage. Move left navigateing a difficult and awkward wide crack. Hanging belay from tiny gear. Pitch 3 goes straight up. Small gear (#1 camelot fits in a pocket protecting the giant reach). I...[more]Browse More Classics in PA

I've had some contact with the NPS regarding the cliffline closure and the possibility of changing it to a partial closure. They did give the idea a very good bit of consideration, and were very forthcoming with the reasons they can't right now. The most important reason is they have yet to have a successful falcon nest, and they need to provide the best opportunity they can. In addition, the nesting location changes from year to year, they utilize multiple perches along the cliff, and the closure would be difficult to enforce.

Effective as of January 31, 2015, Mt. Minsi is closed to protect nesting peregrine falcons that are once again attempting to nest on the cliff face.

The length of the closure will depend on whether the falcons nest successfully. In past years it has been lifted early when it became obvious that the falcons were not nesting or that the nesting attempt failed. The nesting will be monitored through the season to determine the nesting status.